The National Football League (NFL) joined the National Domestic Violence Hotline (The Hotline) and RALIANCE in announcing their continued partnerships today. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and highlighting the work of the NFL's national and local partnerships that provide year-round resources to educate communities and support survivors is part of the League's broad commitment that includes more than $50 million in donations since 2014.
For more than eight years, the NFL has provided financial support to The Hotline in its mission to shift power back to those in the U.S. affected by relationship abuse. The Hotline remains the only national, 24-hour, year-round resource for survivors offering services via call, chat and text. Through funding from the NFL, The Hotline was able to answer over 400,000 calls, texts and chats in 2021 alone -- more answered than in any other year since the organization's inception in 1996. Additionally, support from the NFL has helped The Hotline connect survivors with over 200,000 referrals to shelters and domestic violence service providers and over 190,000 referrals to additional resources across the nation this past year.
The NFL and The Hotline have renewed their partnership another three years through a grant from the NFL, which will empower The Hotline to continue their direct services and grow their capacity to meet the increased contact volume, further its policy work to advocate for expanded resources for survivors and establish the National Survivor Data Institute with an emphasis on research on the experiences of survivors, especially those from marginalized communities.
"We are extremely grateful for the National Football League's renewed commitment and support to ensure all those impacted by domestic violence have access to The Hotline's 24/7 services," said Katie Ray-Jones, CEO of the National Domestic Violence Hotline. "This is coming at a time when survivors are needing services more than ever. We are experiencing the highest contact volume in our history. Together we must do more to advocate for expanded resources for survivors and ensure access to services. The road ahead for true systemic change is a long one and it will take all of us committed to ensure that relationships are healthy and free from violence. We are encouraged whenever an industry leader, such as the NFL, steps forward to stand with and support survivors."
With the NFL's support, RALIANCE was created in 2016 to unify the national sexual violence field to better support victims and survivors. In addition to supporting their general operations, communications and advocacy work, together the NFL and RALIANCE have awarded nearly $3 million in grants to prevention programs and projects that support survivors and make communities safer. Using an intersectional approach to prevention, the majority of the 68 projects funded to date were awarded to programs serving people of color, LGBTQ+ communities, people with disabilities, religious minorities, immigrants, young people, and others who often are heavily impacted by sexual violence yet historically overlooked by funders.
This month, the NFL has renewed a three-year grant partnership with RALIANCE to expand their work with grantees by offering more resources, prioritize grant funding to organizations at the intersection of sexual misconduct prevention and social justice, and with other organizations to provide them the right tools to create a safe environment when it comes to sexual harassment and abuse.
"We are proud to partner with the NFL in the years ahead as we work to change cultures to prevent and end sexual violence, misconduct, and abuse," said Sandra Henriquez, founding member and Managing Partner of RALIANCE. "Through this generous grant, we will be able to advance our mission to help organizations across sectors create inclusive and safer environments for all. We look forward to the work ahead."
For more information, visit www.thehotline.org and www.raliance.org.
